Apparatus for making, ejecting, and storing ice cubes



Oct. 1.1,, 1960 F. L. ERICKSON ETAL 2,955,440

APPARATUS FOR MAKING, EJECTING, AND STORING ICE CUBES Filed May 18, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 2,955,440- APPARATUS FOR MAKING, EJECTING, AND STORING ICE cum-2s Filed May 18, 1956 Oct. 11, 1960 F. L. ERICKSON EI'AL' a Sheets-She et 2 INVENTORS FEEPR/Cf L.EE/CKSON( BY KOBEET W. Fl/VK lllL Oct. 11,, 1960 F. L. ERICKSON ETAL 2,955,440

APPARATUS FOR MAKING. EJECTING, AND STORING ICE cUBEs Filed May 18, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l/l; x, 1/ I! Q i 7 Z5 A; III a I II 2/ 23 ,3 v

INVENTORY arr-512* purpose of holding the tray,

United StatesPatent APPARATUS FOR MAKING, EJECTING, AND

STORING ICE CUBES Frederick L. Erickson, Chandler, and Robert W, Fink, Evansville, Ind., assignors, by mesne assignments, to

General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 18, 1956, Ser. No. 585,664 '3 Claims. (Cl. 62-301) an improved-ice cube ejector mechanism in which the ice cubes are frozen in the tray, having a movable grid that is permanently secured in the tray, so that the tray may be inverted and the ejector mechanismadapted to cause the cubes to fall into an ice cube bin without dropping the grid.

1 Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved ice cube ejector mechanism and a unitary housing for such mechanism which is portableand removable from the evaporator having an improved handle carried by the tray for the breaking the tray loose from the evaporator surface, inverting the tray, and inserting it above a bin, releasing the cubes from the trayinto an ice cube bin, and for moving the grid back to its initial position, and replacing the tray in upright position in the evaporator. Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved ice cube ejector tray structure which is simple, economical, includes a minimum number of parts, has improved connecting mechanism between the handle and movable grid, and has all of its parts, except the handle, located inside the tray.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved ice cube ejector mechanism in which the ice tray is provided with -a grid having a longitudinal divider plate secured in the tray and a multiplicity of transverse Webs forming molded recesses for forming ice cubesand a longitudinally extending connecting rod strip which actuatesall the webs from aninclined position toward a vertical position to break the bond between the ice cubes and the walls of the tray and grid, and to release the cubes from the tray and grid. 4

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved ice cube tray and grid of the class described, having movable grid parts which loosen the ice cubes, and having a longitudinally protruding lever which extends outwardly from the frontof the ice tray in position to be accessible to the user when the tray is located in the evaporator or in a shucking position, so that the lever may actuate the movable parts of the cubes into an ice cube bin.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved lever actuated shucking mechanism including an upwardly extending bracket and more connecting links to the grid webs, which in turn are connected to each other by'an elongated actuating strip, the webs being moved to shucking position when the lever is moved upward in upright position so that a downward force may be used on the in which the cubes are frozen, and

ice

lever to discharge the cubes when inverted position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved ice cube ejector mechanism including a grid having a longitudinal divider plate and a multiplicity of transverse webs in'which the divider plate is provided with laterally projecting portions for pushing the webs in an inclined position, and in which an elongated actuating strip is provided with actuating shoulders, each of which is spaced a slightly greater distance from its webs so that the webs are not actuated simultaneously but successively to loosen ice cubes from the grid and to discharge them one after another into the ice cube bin.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the three sheets of drawings accompanying this specification:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the handle end of an ice cube ejector tray embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the entire tray, taken on the plane of the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken on the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view, taken on the plane of the line 44 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is an end elevational view, taken from the left end of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, plane of the line 66 of of the arrows;

Fig. 7 is an end elevational view, showing the present ice cube ejector tray on a portable ice cube bucket;

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the tray and bucket of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a front elevational view, showing the ice cube ejector mechanism and bin suitable for use in the lower freezing compartment of a household refrigerator;

Fig; 10 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the plane of the line lit-10 of Fig. 9, showing the assembly of the latter freezing compartment with the ice cube ejector mechanism installed therein.

Referring to Figs. 1-4, 20 indicates a unitary freezing device having an ice cube ejector associated therewith, which device comprises or includes an aluminum tray 21, a grid assembly 22, and an actuating mechanism assembly 23. The tray 21 of device 20 has a flat bottom 24 and a pair of side walls 25, 26, which slope outwardly and up wardly, making the space in the tray smaller at the bottom.

The end walls 27, 28 also slope outwardly and up wardly, thereby facilitating the removal of the ice from the tray, which tapers toward the bottom on all sides.

The tray 21 preferably has outwardly extending border its side walls and 31 on its end wall 27 engaging with guides for supporting the the tray is in the taken on the Fig. 4, looking in the direction for the purpose of the webs having rounded corners at 36.

projecting flange 37 at the top to provide suflicient material for holding the web together, although it has a central aperture 38. The central aperture 38 extends from the point 39 near the bottom to the point 40 near the top and is wide enough to loosely receive the division plate 33.

The aperture 38 has a wider portion 41 at the top, which extends down below the upper edge 42 of the division plate 33 sufficiently so that the division plate 33 and slider strip 34 may be arranged side by side during the insertion of the slider strip 34 in the apertures 38, 41 of each wall or web 35.

The combined length of the aperture enlargement 41 is sufficient so that the lugs 43 on the actuator strip 34 clear the top of the aperture during their assembly. Each grid cross wall or web has at its bottom a transverse portion 44, which is located in one of the notches 45 in the bottom of the divider plate 33.

The divider plate 33 has a multiplicity of equally spaced rectangular notches 45 in its lower edge for receiving the portions 44 of the wall or web 35. In some embodiments of the invention twice as many walls or webs 35 may be employed, utilizing all of the notches 45. The divider plate 33 is provided with an aluminum bar 46 at its left end near the top, extending through an aperture 47 in the end wall 27 and holding the divider strip 33- in the tray at this end.

The bar 46 is soldered to grid plate 33. At its other end the divider plate 33 is riveted to a pivot bracket 48, comprising two plates of similar shape placed on opposite sides of the plate 33 and secured to it by through rivets 49.

The bracket 48 conforms to the shape of tray 21 at the end wall 28, but has an outwardly projecting lug 50 with an upwardly turned end 51 located in an aperture 52 in the end wall 28. In the assembly of the grid 22 and tray 21 of a freezing device 20 the lug 50 is inserted in its'aperture 28 first; and thereafter the bar 46 is soldered in place in the aperture 47 on the plate 33.

This permanently secures the grid structure or assembly in the tray to provide the unitary freezing device 20 in which a liquid such as water is to be frozen into separated ice blocks in compartments thereof. The divider plate 33 is preferably formed with a multiplicity of outwardly punched shoulders 53 (Fig. 6) located to support the webs or walls at the desired tilt, when the parts are in the position of Fig. 2.

The present divider plate 33 has twice as many lugs 43 so that it may alternatively be used with twice as many webs 35 to make narrower ice bodies.

The notches 45 are wide enough to permit the tilting of the walls or webs 35 from the position of Fig. 2 to a vertical position; and the slots in the webs are wide enough to permit the webs to pivot loosely.

The actuator strip 34 comprises an elongated narrow strip of aluminum, having a multiplicity of upwardly extending lugs 43 separated by notches 54. The lugs 43 are not only arranged to move the walls or webs 35 toward the right leading to the vertical, but they are also arranged to move the webs or walls toward the left away from the vertical as in Fig. 2. In order that the walls or webs may be actuated toward the right, one after another rather than simultaneously, the notches 54 are of minimum width at the right end of the strip 34; and they increase in width toward the left end.

This permits the lugs 43 to engage the webs or walls 35 successively as the strip 34 moves toward the right, bringing force to bear upon one web or wall at a time, and breaking the ice cubes loose successively. As all of the walls or webs are to be moved back to the same tilted parallel position, the lugs 43 diminish in width from the right end toward the left so that all the shoulders on the left side of lugs 43 are equally spaced.

The bracket 48 extends upward and is turned inward at 55 so that its inner end 56 is located above the grid assembly 22. At this point the bracket 55 has a pivot aperture 57 in each of its flanges for receiving a rivet 58.

The handle 23, forming part of the actuating mchanism, may comprise a thick strip of aluminum, having a horizontal upper portion 59, a downwardly and outwardly extending portion 60, and an inwardly extending portion 61. At- 62the handle is bent acutely upward and out- Ward, supporting portion 63, which carries the horizontal end portion 64.

Thus the handle is bent somewhat in conformity with the right end of the-bracket 48, except that it has the outwardly extending end 64 to be engaged by the hand. At its upper portion 59 handle 23 is provided with a pair of downwardlyextending bellcrank arms 65 welded to the lower surface of the handle and provided with the through apertures 66 for the handle pivot 58.

The flanges 65 constitute a bell-crank extension of the handle. 23; and they are provided with another pair of apertures 67 for receiving the rivet 68, which carries a.

pair of hook links 69. The book links 69 have apertures 70 for receiving rivet 68; and the hook links comprise short aluminum plates which. have a notch at 70 inside of the hook end 69.

The front endmost grid wall or web 35a has the hooks 69 extending through the aperture enlargements 41; and the hooks 69 engage behind the backwardly bent upper portion 71 of the wall or web. The rearmost cross wall or. web 35 of grid 22 may be provided with an angular foot 104.holding that web in its proper or normal inclined position with respect to when. same is tilted to aid in ejecting the end ice cubes or blocks from tray 21.

The bracket 48 is formed with a curved recess 72 on. its left side for receiving the ends of the hooks 69 and.

the ends of the flanges 65, permitting the bell-crank formation 65 to pivot counterclockwise into the recess 72.

Referring to Fig. 7, this is a front elevational view of an ice cube bucket or bin, forming, with a tray, a portable unit that can be carried from place to place to shuck the ice cubesv and hold them in the bin for use as desired.

The ice cube bin unit is indicated in its entirety by the numeral 73; and it comprises a rectangular box, which.

may be made of polystyrene or other plastics, having a bottom wall 74, two sides walls 75, 76, and a rear wall 77, and front wall 78. The front wall 78 has a downwardly extending opening 79 at its upper edge for clearance with the operating handle 23 of the tray.

At its upper end each of the side walls 75, 76 and the rear wall 77 is provided with an inwardly open channelled member 80, 81, 82 secured to the top of the side and end walls, and presenting the grooved openings 83 on three sides. Grooves 83 receive the side flanges 29, 30 of the inverted tray; and the groove 84 in the end wall receives the end flange 31.

This effects a substantial closure of the top of the bin when the inverted ice tray is located in the grooves 83, 84; and the channeled members 80, 81, 82 prevent the tray from tipping in any manner when the inverted handle 23 is pushed downward or upward.

Referring to Figs. 9 and 10, these are views showing another form of installation in which a wire basket construction or device 85 is stationarily mounted in a freezing chamber 86 in the bottom of a refrigerator cabinet, having an outer shell-87, an inner liner 88, and insulation 89. The wire basket device 85 has side frames 97 joined'by top frame 92 and bottom frame 93; and the basket may be stationarily secured to the side wall of the liner at 94.

The basket 85 carries a pair of angular nylon guide rails95 secured to the side frames and 91, and having inwardly extending portions 96 engaging the border flanges29, 30 of an inverted ice tray 21. channelled guide. members97 are located on each side frame 90, 91

the vertical and. serving;

90 and below the-nylon rails outwardly extending cube bin 99.

The ice cube bin 99 comprises a rectangular box, which may be made of polystyrene, having a front face plate 100 provided with a handle 110 and a cut-out102 for clearance with the handle 23.

The face plate 100 is wide enough to closethe opening in the wirebasket device and engages the ends of the opposed channelled guides 97-;to limit the inward movement of the ice cube bin 99. [In this case the storage draweror bin 99 can be-removed and carried about with ice cubes. 9

The guides 95 are preferably provided with a tray stop 103, where they are arranged merely to support the tray instead of being channels. The tray stop 103 is an angle member secured to nylon guides 95 and overhanging the end flange 31 so that the rear end of the tray cannot tip upward when the handle is pushed downward.

The operation of the ice cube ejector is as follows:

With the parts of the freezing device in the position of Fig. 2 or Fig. 1, the tray of the unitary freezing device is filled with water and placed in a freezing evaporator or in the refrigerator freezing chamber, the temperature of which may be around zero degrees F. The ice cubes are quickly frozen; and the tray may be broken loose from its support by means of the handle 23, which may be lifted. The tray and grid together with ice blocks therein is then removed as a unit from the chamber, rotated and inverted and placed upside down on the support of stationary device 85 formed by guides or rails 95 above the ice bin. The handle is then pushed downward, causing the bell-crank 65 to pivot into the recess 72, and drawing the actuator strip 34 toward the right.

The first grid wall or web 35a is pulled toward the first cube at the right in the first motion of the handle; and each of the other cubes is successively drawn toward the right and pivoted from the tilted position toward a vertical position. This, in addition to enlarging compartments in the unitary freezing device, loosens the ice blocks or cubes and breaks the bond between them and the grid and the tray.

If the ice blocks or cubes are not immediately loosened, the handle may be moved up and down several times, which assures the loosening and discharge of all blocks or cubes, which fall into the bin.

The handle is then returned to its initial position of Fig. 1; and the unitary freezing device is returned to upright position, filled with water, and placed in the freezing chamber of the refrigerator.

It will thus be observed that we have invented an ice cube ejector mechanism and bin assembly by means of which ice blocks or cubes may be readily released from the tray, in which they were frozen, and ejected into the bin.

This is accomplished by merely inverting the tray and pushing downward on the handle. 1

The present ice cube ejector mechanism is simple, capable of economical manufacture, positive in its action, and requires a minimum amount of force, since the ice blocks or cubes are released successively and the force is applied to them successively.

While we have illustrated preferred embodiments of our invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and we do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. An ice cube ejector tray having a unitary mechanism for prying the tray loose from the evaporator, handling the tray from the front end, inverting the tray and ejecting the cubes, comprising an ice cube tray having a bottom wall integrally joined to upwardly and outwardly extending side walls, forming a tapered receptacle of substantially rectangular shape, and a grid in said tray, comprising -a longitudinally extending partition, said partition being provided at each of its ends, near the top, with a securing member extending through an aperture in each of the end walls,'permanently securing the grid to the tray, said partition being provided with a multiplicity of upwardlyextending slotsv in its bottom 'with a longitudinally extending actuating said strip having upwardly of transverse plates having partition and said strip, portion above said strip strip on top of the partition, extending lugs, a multiplicity apertures for receiving said said plates having a transverse for engaging one of said lugs, and said plates having a transverse portion in the upwardly extending slots of said partition, a hook extending through the aperture in the foremost transverse plate, an' extension carried by said central partition extending upward and inward over said tray and separated at its inner end from the tray by a slot, a bellcrank handle comprising a wide and fiat member having a pair of depending legs pivoted on said extension, and having a depending arm pivoted to said hook, said handle extending horizontally and being turned downwardly to a V-shaped bend, the apex of which is adapted to engage the evaporator on which the tray may be located, to pry the tray loose, said handle also extending forwardly from the tray to provide a handle for lifting the tray and inverting it, a downward movement of the inverted handle serving to actuate said strip and move said transverse plates to break the bond between the ice cubes, grid, and tray, and eject the ice cubes downwardly from the inverted tray, leaving the grid and other mechanism permanently secured to the tray.

2. In combination, a refrigerator having a freezing chamber therein, a unitary freezing device removably disposed in said chamber, said freezing device comprising a tray, a grid assembly locked in said tray against detachment therefrom including a plurality of spaced apart walls anchored in said assembly for tilting movement relative to the tray forming compartments therein in which water is frozen into ice blocks within said chamber and an actuator for engaging and tilting said grid walls, another device stationarily secured in said chamber having a support thereon adapted to invertedly receive said freezing device and provided with a guide means below and closely adjacent said support for suspendingly supporting a bin therefrom, an ice storage bin separate from said support having a mounting flange at the top of its sides fitted in said guide means holding the bottom of said bin spaced above the lower wall of said freezing chamber, said tray, said grid assembly and said actuator together with ice blocks in said freezing device being removable from said chamber, rotatable and replaceable thereinto in an inverted position upon said support of said another device with the tray supported thereon, an actuating mechanism mov-ably mounted and associated with said actuator at least while the tray of said freezing device is invertedly supported on said support, said actuating mechanism being operable to shift said actuator into engagement with said grid walls to tilt them in said tray without flexing the tray for mechanically ejecting ice blocks from said inverted unitary freezing device into said bin, said bin being slidable along said guide means with respect to and independently of said support away from said stationary device outwardly of said chamber for harvesting ice blocks received in the bin therefrom.

3. In combination, a refrigerator having a freezing chamber therein, a unitary freezing device removably disposed in said chamber, said freezing device comprising a tray, a grid assembly locked in said tray against detachment therefrom including a plurality of spaced apart walls anchored in said assembly for tilting movement relative to the tray forming compartments therein in which water 1s frozen into ice blocks within said chamber and an actuator strip extending across said grid walls for engaging and tilting same, another device stationarily secured in said chamber including a basket having rails thereon formingia support adapted to invertedly receive said freezing device and provided with opposed guide channels below and closely adjacent said support for suspendingly supporting a bin therefrom, an ice storage bin separate from said support having a mounting flange at the top of its sides fitted in said channels holding the bottom of'said binv spaced above the lower walls of said freezing chamber, said tray, said grid assembly and said actuator strip together with ice blocks in said freezing device being removable from said chamber, rotatable and replaceable thereinto in an inverted position upon said support ofsaid another devicewith the tray supported thereon, an-actuating mechanism movably mounted and associated with said actuator strip at least while the tray of said freezing device is invertedly supported on said support, said actuating mechanism being operable to shift said strip into engagement with said grid walls to tilt them in said tray without flexing the tray for mechanically ejecting ice blocks from said inverted unitary' freezing device into said bin,v and said bin being slidable along said guide channels with respect to and independently of said support away from said stationary basket device outwardly of said chamber for harvesting ice blocks received in the bin therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,954,224 Piker Apr. 10, 1 934 2,161,321 Smith June 6, 1939 2,217,681 Jennings Oct. 15, 1940 2,342,860 Hedlund Feb. 29, 1944 2,429,882 Jennings Oct. 28, 1947 2,714,294 Frei Aug. 2, 1955 2,752,762 Gaugler July 3, 1956 2,769,317 Strickland Nov. 6, 1956 

